The Getaway
by xoxocamille
Summary: April Carver is getting her affairs in order before starting chemotherapy. However, she pulls the unexpected when Leo presents her with an offer she just can't refuse.
1. Risky Decisions

**The Getaway**

**Chapter I: Risky Decisions**

* * *

Acknowledging failures has never been one of April's strongest suits. It was a feeling that was all too foreign for her, but then again, so was having cancer. At 24, she expected herself to be doing what normal young adults usually do—starting a career, having an apartment, going out with friends, and of course, dating. Never in a million years did she envision herself being in the situation that she was in now, where instead of starting her life, she was now fighting for it.

"Hi everyone," April began as each pair of eyes gravitated towards her.

"So…I'm starting treatment two weeks from now. I'm beyond terrified. Actually, I get more and more terrified as the day comes closer, if that's even possible. I lie awake in the middle of the night just thinking about it. It's _all_ I ever think about now."

April paused and looked around the room. They all looked sympathetic; they knew exactly what she was going through. They've all been there, at some point in their own lives. That fact alone should be comforting, but still, she couldn't help but feel alone and incredibly frightened.

"But that's not really what I wanted to share today. I finally told my boyfriend—or should I say, ex-boyfriend—about my condition. I used to be able to hide it so well, that I wasn't sick or anything, but I knew that once I start treatment, there was going to be no way around it. So, I told him…and when I did, he said that he wanted to take a break. Not because he couldn't handle being with someone who has cancer, but because he couldn't be with someone who can't honor something as vital as honesty in a relationship."

For a moment, April felt like breaking down and cry. She knew she messed up; she failed her relationship with Dominic. But then again, it was a doomed relationship from the start, once she found out that she had leukemia. Of course, Dominic was only human. Eventually, he'll want to start a family and have kids, and April can't give him that. Heck, he might not even have a future with her. Maybe it was better this way. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to him if they were to stay together when one of them is on the verge of dying, leaving him all alone to pick up of what's left of his life—nothing.

Before some tears decide to put on a show, April blinked a few times. _Don't cry, April. Don't cry,_ she thought to herself as she once again looked around the room. A sea of faces welcomed her, but deep down, she was only looking for one. She glanced at each face, one after another, and not a minute later, she finally found his.

Leo Hendrie was hard to miss. His eyes were a perfect shade of blue, calm and peaceful, just like the ocean. His hair was perfectly groomed as always; each strand forming a well-blended concoction of a light brown hue. His mouth—albeit small, had a pinkish to purple tint, almost resembling the color between peaches and plums. And finally, that jawline…it was strong and rigid, giving his face the complete model look.

All it took was one swift glance at Leo, and everything came rushing back to normal. The tears no longer begged to pour; she felt relieved once she saw him. _It's going to be okay, April. Everything happens for a reason._ Once he felt her eyes on him, he turned his head towards her direction, and quickly followed it with a miniscule smile. Then, for some reason she couldn't explain, her stomach went into all crazy kind of knots. Leo had that kind of effect on her.

* * *

"So you and Dimples finally called it quits, huh?"

"Oh, were you actually listening to me talk? I'm sorry, I didn't notice, since you kept checking your phone oh, I don't know, every 20 seconds!"

"I have selective hearing. And what can I say, I'm a very popular guy. Everyone wants a piece of this. You'll have to get in line," Leo said, eyeing April up-and-down.

"You're unbelievable," April replied, rolling her eyes at him as she pushed him out of the way.

"So, where are you headed?"

"Work."

"Ooh…must be awkward, working with your ex-lover and all," he teased.

"Not as long as I take the stairs and avoid the copy room like the plague."

Just as Leo was about to get a word in, April's phone vibrated, alerting her of a new text message. It was from her co-worker/sometimes creepy friend, Danny.

_Dude, where are you? Lawrence is about to hand over the Biden interview to Raquel! Get your ass over here!_

"Ughhhhhh!" She stomped her heels on the pavement from sheer frustration.

"Whoa, calm down princess. What's wrong?"

April was fuming inside. This never-ending competition between her and Raquel was becoming too much to handle. With her mind already circling around everything else, such as the upcoming chemotherapy sessions, her mother's incessant need to control her life, her recent break-up with Dominic, this shouldn't even be something she should concern herself about. It's driving her up the wall.

"Don't you just wish you could, just one day, get up and leave? Like, leave all your problems behind, even for just a little while, and go away with no one knowing where you are, almost like you're starting a whole new life?"

Leo clicked his tongue before giving an answer. "Let's do it."

"W-wait, hold on a second. I'm sorry, but do what, exactly?"

"Go, leave! Isn't that what you say you wanted?"

"It's a figure of speech, Leo. Just some hopeless dreaming on my part. I can't just pack up and go away."

"And why not? Give me one good reason."

"You're seriously asking me that question right now? Um, let's see. I have a job, I have my family, my friends, and oh yeah, my treatment, which is starting in less than 14 days!"

"That's just it, April! Don't you get it? Your chemo is in 2 weeks, so who's to say that you can still do all of this once you start? Let's be real here for a second," Leo exclaimed, sliding his right index finger through his bottom lip. "Chemo is not going to be pretty. You'll be in the hospital, bedridden for days on end, watching the sun go up and down on that same damn window in your room. You won't have the energy to eat, you won't have the energy to do anything, and you're just going to be there, waiting for the day when it's all over. Don't you want to take the time now to do something that you really want?"

April shook her head at him, ready for a rebuttal. However, not a single word escaped her lips.

"Tell me, when was the last time you did something for yourself?"

"It's just not that easy, Leo. We can't all be like you."

"You have got to be kid—"

"You know, maybe later on, I can—"

"Are you listening to yourself? Wake up, April, we have cancer! I'm terminal! There is no later on! The only thing that's guaranteed for us is right now_…right now_!"

Before April could say another word, her phone vibrated once again, interrupting their heated discussion. It was another text from Danny.

_Seriously April, get over here now! Lawrence is looking for you!_

"I'll tell you what. If you want to make your hopeless dream a reality, meet me at Logan Airport tonight, by 11:00. With or without you, I'm going to pack up and leave. I'm going to see the world."

Leo took another few steps forward as he and April finally reached his motorcycle. April watched as he put on his black leather jacket and climbed onto his ride. As much as she wanted to go with him, there was just no possible way that she could go. Too many people relied on her, and doing something as irresponsible as disappearing would not make things at home any easier.

"I'm really sorry, Leo. I hope you have a wonderful tim—"

"Don't," he interrupted her mid-sentence. "Don't make a decision just yet. Think about it for now, and I'll see you tonight."

He placed the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. He then secured the helmet around his head, only to lift up the glass shield.

"Oh, and one more thing."

"Hm?"

"If you were mine, and you told me that you had cancer, I would've _never_ let you go."

* * *

She'd been lying on her bed for almost an hour, and yet, she couldn't go to sleep. Instead, she'd been tossing and turning, which almost seemed like a ritual for her nowadays. Her usual thoughts before going to bed consisted of her upcoming treatment, but tonight, it was a little different. She couldn't stop thinking about it. It followed her at work, on the subway ride home, during dinner, and now here, before drifting to sleep.

Leo's adventurous offer was extremely tempting. Of course, she wanted to go, but the same thoughts came back over and over. _Too many people rely on me._ There, maybe saying it for the umpteenth time will finally allow her to put the subject to rest, but then again, a small part of her subconscious is telling her otherwise. _What if Leo was right? What if this is my last chance to be able to see the world? What if there is no later on for me, just like there isn't any for Leo?_

_Leo_. Just saying his name was causing her to feel this knot at the pit of her stomach yet again. She felt it earlier that day, when she was finally able to pluck out his face from the rest of the other cancer survivors; when he smiled at her. She'd never felt that with anyone she'd come across before; not even her best friend Beth, her co-worker Danny, or even her ex-boyfriend Dominic. He was the only one, and she wasn't exactly sure why.

It had been almost a month since she and Leo first had their adventure together. It had also been almost a month since he ambushed her with that kiss, a much unexpected one to say the least. She was still with Dominic at the time, so she'd never allow herself to think anything of it, but, if she was really being honest with herself, that kiss was quite remarkable. For a split second, she felt this raging fire ignite inside of her, leaving her wanting more. Yes, Leo Hendrie was an excellent kisser. God forbid she would ever tell him that though, for it would only increase his already super inflated ego.

She tossed yet again under the sheets, and this time, she reached out for her phone to check the time. It was quarter before ten. _Meet me at Logan Airport by 11,_ his voice now occupying her thoughts. She took a quick sigh as she placed the phone back on the nightstand.

_What's it going to be, April?_

* * *

_Eleven twenty-one pm._

"Hello Mr. Hendrie. What can I do for you today?"

Before answering the lady behind the counter, Leo scanned the room yet again for any sight of April. No, his eyes weren't deceiving him; she was nowhere to be found. As he checked the time, it then dawned on him that it had been twenty minutes since the time he instructed for her to arrive. _That's it, she's not coming,_ he thought. He was a little bummed that she decided not to go, but then again, maybe he was just better off trekking the world by himself.

"Yeah hi, I need a ticket for a plane leaving tonight. Any destination will do."

Looking a bit confused, the woman simply followed Leo's directions without any questions and began typing up some characters on the computer. Her eyes scanned the list that was in front of her, checking for any open spots. Her eyebrows then shot up as her mouse made a clicking noise.

"Okay, I have two tickets available for a plane that's leaving for Paris, Mr. Hendrie. How many tickets would you like to purchase?"

"Just one will do, thanks."

"Actually, make that two, please."

Just as he was about to hand over his passport, he heard from behind what only sounded to him as April's voice. For a second, he thought he was dreaming. _Pinch me,_ he thought to himself. He slowly turned around to face her, the corner of his lips just slightly curving to form a grin.

"I didn't think you'd come."

"Well, I thought I'd take you up on that offer. I'm probably going to hate myself for this later, but you were right, I need to do this for me."

"Best decision you made thus far," he said as he moved a step closer to her, his lips now hovering over her ear. "I am going to blow your mind, April Carver. You're never going to want to come back to Boston ever again."


	2. Fade to Black

**Chapter II: Fade to Black**

**AN:** Thank you for all the wonderful reviews/follows/favorites. I appreciate every single one of them. Hope you enjoy the next installment.

* * *

"Wake up sleepyhead, we're here."

Before even opening her eyes, April felt Leo's hand softly tug at her arm, waking her from her slumber. She didn't know how it happened, but she managed to rest her head on his shoulder, her face just a few inches away from his neck. His right arm was wrapped around her in an embrace, almost in a protective kind of way, while the other was resting on one of their luggage. The warmth of his body instantly soothed her, wishing she never had to let go.

_Mmm._

Their close proximity allowed her to catch a quick whiff of his perfume, which had a very distinctive fougere scent. It was strong, manly, bold, and confident—everything that represented who he was. Even after such a long and exhausting flight, he still managed to smell as though he was advertising for a perfume campaign. The intoxicating aroma was enough to drive any woman—including April—crazy.

Her eyelashes softly fluttered as she opened her eyes. Though it was bright outside, the first thing she took notice of was the inviting face of her cancer friend and now adventure buddy, Leo Hendrie.

"Where are we?"

"See for yourself."

Leo opened the car door and swung his feet out to the pavement as he stood. He then held out his hand as he helped April out of the car, when the bellhop came up to them.

"Bonjour, welcome to Hotel Plaza Athénée, monsieur et mademoiselle."

_Oh. My. God._

Of course, April has heard about this place before. It's only the most luxurious hotel in Paris, or in all of France! Anyone who's worth mentioning has called this their home one time or another, and she's about to call it home too, for the next couple of days. It all felt so surreal; she needed someone to pinch her just to check that this wasn't all a dream. It still felt like she was in one though.

"W…we're staying here?"

"Yep," Leo said matter-of-factly. "I'm guessing you're going to need some time to soak this all in, so when you're done picking your jaw up from the floor, I'll be at the front desk."

The cemented exterior of the hotel soaked up the brightness of the burning sun in a stunning yellow hue, creating a perfectly blended contrast with the red flowers and shades sitting over every balcony and window. The black iron fence, complete with an intricate vintage design and full-on golden tips, also added another layer of drama and luxury feel to the hotel. Just when things couldn't get anymore lavish, a guest pulled up to the front of the hotel in his all-black, top-down, fully-customized Bugatti.

_Who knew traveling around the world with Leo Hendrie could be so expensive?_

* * *

"Bonjour! So nice to see you again, Mr. Leo," a short woman with a thick French accent said as Leo stood by the marbled countertop. As she arrived behind the counter, Leo couldn't help but stare at the growing stomach hiding behind the woman's dressy uniform. It was just another malicious way of the universe reminding him of what he can never have.

"Glad to be back here, Rosita."

"How's Mr. Bruce doing?"

"He, uh…he's doing fine. Just busy with campaign stuff. You know how much of a workaholic my old man is," he answered, sarcasm coating his every word.

Leo rotated his head and looked around to see if April managed to come inside the lobby yet. He didn't have to look hard as he quickly spotted her by the door, her eyes instantly attracted towards the million-dollar chandelier hanging on the ceiling.

"April," he said as he motioned his finger for her to come to him.

"Okay, here are your keys to the Eiffel Suite, Mr. Leo. Enjoy your stay."

The pregnant receptionist handed over the keys to Leo, just as April arrived to his side. He was about to make his way to the elevators when he felt April's hand clench around his wrist.

"Leo, I…I can't stay here."

"What, it's not nice enough for you?"

"I mean, it's lovely and everything, but this is just way out of my budget, so I'm just gonna—"

"It's okay, I got it."

"No! No, I can't let you do that."

"It's already finished, let's go," he said as he placed his wallet on the pocket of his jeans, followed by a quick step forward.

"Leo, you're not listening to me. Look, I don't know how to say this nicely but… I am _not_ one of your charity cases."

"Of course you're not. I know you can take care of yourself, April. But why can't you ever let anyone do something nice to you for once?"

"That's not…"

"Then what is it?"

"It's not that I don't want to, I just can't afford something like…aah!"

Before she could get another word in, almost instantaneously, Leo slung her over his right shoulder and the ground was no longer beneath her. Everything in April's vision turned upside-down, before she even had time to realize that she was being carried. Her cheeks flushed red from embarrassment as everyone in the hotel lobby watched the drama that unfolded right before their eyes.

"Leo, what are you doing?! Put me down!"

Leo began to walk as he instructed the bellhop to follow him to the elevator. He ignored April who was now kicking and screaming, begging to be put down.

"Nothing to see here, folks. My girlfriend and I are just into role-playing."

* * *

"Just set them down there if you would, please."

As instructed, the bellhop unloaded both Leo and April's luggage from the cart and set them beside the granite table by the door. Leo pulled out his wallet with one hand as he handed the man a bill for helping them settle in their suite. A silent but humiliated April was still slung over his shoulder, her weight now starting to take a toll on his physical capacity.

"Merci, monsieur. Madamoiselle," the man said as he closed the door behind him, leaving April and Leo alone in their suite for the first time.

"Leo, please! Put me down now!"

Still not responding to any of April's remarks, Leo made his way around the living room and up the stairs, making a sharp left turn. He swung the door wide open as April unsuccessfully tried to get off his captivity by throwing punches on his back.

"Seriously, Leo!"

He moved closer to the bed where he then swung April around, repositioning his arms so that he was now cradling her body. Slowly but gently, like a mother laying down her child, he brought her down to the heart of the bed, where he immediately locked his arms next to hers, trapping her beneath him.

"Why did you do that for?"

"I got you to stay here, didn't I? Come on, it was all in good fun."

"You humiliated me in front of all those people! You are _so_ going to pay for that."

"Oh I would _love_ to pay the price, believe me."

His lips curved yet again at both ends, showing his larger-than-life grin. His eyes, blue as they may be, showed just enough hint of playfulness; he was already enjoying this trip more than he had anticipated. With him on top, his face practically inches away from hers, April could see every facial expression he had, the same way that he could with her. For a split second, she felt vulnerable. The thought of this scared her, so she put her arms up her chest, crossing them together.

"Relax, if I wanted to take advantage of you, I would've done so a long time ago. Lucky for you, I'm not that kinda guy."

He released April from his captivity as he stood up and looked at his watch. It was now half past two in the afternoon. The rays of the sun entered the room through the tall glass windows, brightening up the place. Since she was so busy trying to break away from Leo earlier, April never got the chance to marvel in the beauty of their suite, until now.

The bedroom was designed fit for a princess. The queen-sized bed was enveloped in white silk cotton sheets, with a sharp raspberry tint covering every corner. On the foot of the bed was a vintage récamier sofa, with red-stained color pillows sitting on top of it. To the right of the bed was an old Victorian vanity, and right across the room were two glass doors that led to the balcony.

"This place alone is bigger than my entire house. It feels like a dream."

"Really? I'm sorry, I can't relate. My house looks just like this in real life."

April shot Leo an _I'm-going-to-kill-you-if-you-don't-stop_ look and made her way to the balcony. A moment later, a soft buzz coming from downstairs chimed in.

"So I'm going to let you do that while I check on the front door…" he said as he ran downstairs to check on the commotion.

The view surely did not disappoint. April could see the entire city under her, with the Eiffel Tower so close she could practically touch it. _This is beautiful_, she thought to herself as she heard soft mumbling coming from downstairs. She didn't pay too much attention to it; it was probably just more shop talk. She then closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of the flowers resting over where she stood. The cool wind breezed through her hair and she felt as though she was floating. It all felt good, so, so good. For once in her life, she was finally living. She didn't have any deadlines to meet, stories to catch, people to answer to, family to support…it was just her and the world, together as one.

Once the moment was over, she gathered her composure and set herself back to reality. Just as she was about to join Leo downstairs, she felt a gush of blood flow out of her nose. To double check, she swiped her middle finger over her top lip and looked at her fingertips, now covered in red. She knows it wasn't a nosebleed. No, it was the cancer calling back to her, reminding her of the God-awful predicament she and Leo were both in. _Calm down, April. Just get yourself cleaned up, it'll be okay,_ she told herself over and over before panic struck her.

She closed the glass doors behind her and looked for the nearest bathroom. With the flow still going, she left droplets of blood on the wooden floor, which would leave a huge stain if left unattended. _Oh no. No, no, no, no, no._ She looked around the room and found a box of tissue sitting on the nightstand. Quickly, she grabbed it, and as she turned around, which she may have done too quickly, she felt the room spinning around. She swayed from left to right, trying to keep her balance, but that didn't last too long. In just a matter of milliseconds, she fell to the floor, and her entire vision was covered in darkness.


	3. Late Night Confessions

**Chapter III: Late Night Confessions**

**AN:** Once again, thank you for all the reviews/follows/favorites. I apologize if this took a little longer to put up, but I hope that the length of this chapter will more than compensate for that.

* * *

"Hey, you."

Finally gaining consciousness, April slowly lifted her eyelids and saw a worrisome Leo standing by the side of the bed. Her eyes traveled left to right as she looked around the room, and as she tried to put the pieces together, she realized that she was now in a different space of the suite.

"Wh..what happened?" She asked, her words slurred.

"You honestly don't remember? Uh-oh, wouldn't want your family to think that I kidnapped you. Or worse.."

She shook her head gently at him as a form of reply to his comment. She couldn't remember a single thing; zilch. Everything around her still seemed a bit out of place, like she was living in a different dimension. But then again, maybe it had more to do with her just feeling so out of it.

"You..uh, you fainted, April. When I saw you, you were on the floor practically bleeding all over the place," he said, the tone in his voice now more serious than before.

"How long was I out?"

"About two hours, tops."

"Great," she said as she propped her elbow up on the bed, just as Leo sat on the open space next to her. The look on his eyes still expressed nothing but genuine concern.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm fine. I'm a lot better now. Really, I am."

"Well, you need to get some food in you. I'll have someone bring up some—"

"No Leo, don't. Actually if you don't mind, I was thinking—"

"Okay seriously, you need to drop this whole…independent woman act you got going on. I know you can take on the world yourself, but as a friend, let me help you. Because that's what friends do, they look out for each other."

_Wow, Leo Hendrie being candidly sensitive._ April wasn't used to seeing this side of him before.

"What I was actually going to say was that I hope you don't mind…if I take you out to dinner."

"Wow. Moving a little too fast there, are we? I must say, this is such a turn-on…no girl has ever offered to pay for dinner before."

…_And there it was. The touching moment with Leo Hendrie was over in a matter of a few words._

"That's not what I meant," April said, shaking her head as her cheeks turned slightly rosy. She let out a little chuckle before she continued. "You've already done so much for me, so at least let me return the gesture. For starters, let me earn my stay in this _amazing _hotel."

He pondered on this statement for a second, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She knew this surprised him a bit as well, probably because he wasn't used to having people do something nice for him without anything in return. His eyes slowly revert back to hers, and just from the look on his face, April knew that he was opposed to the idea.

"I'm not asking to be rewarded for my good deeds, if you think that's what I'm doing. Besides, we need time for you to recover, so we can hold off exploring until tomorrow."

A little hesitant at first, April reached out her hand and touched Leo's. Soon as she did, she could tell that this surprised him, but thankfully, he didn't retreat.

"You told me that I need to start seizing the day. Well, all I've been doing since we left was sleep and pass out. I would hate for us to spend our first night here in Paris locked away in this suite, when we could be out there."

A short pause clouded the room. She waited for his reply as she watched him take a deep sigh.

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes Leo, that's what I want."

"Then your wish is my command."

The end of his lips curved as he watched April's eyes light up like a million stars. The sight of her in his bed, accompanying him in Paris, sharing and making new memories with him, was enough to knock the wind out of Leo's lungs.

"I must say I'm surprised, with you carpe dieming the day and all," he said as he let out a chuckle. "I guess I'm finally rubbing off on you, aren't I? Though I have to be honest, not in the kind of way that I was hoping for. Don't worry, we'll get there eventually."

"Shut up," she said, rolling her eyes as she pushed him out of the bed. She got up and made her way back to her room to get ready, now feeling a little excited. More than she would like to admit, Leo _was_ starting to rub off on her…but more importantly, he was starting to move his way into her heart.

* * *

As promised, April took Leo out to dinner where they both settled for a good helping of pasta and wine. With the sunset fast approaching, Leo drove them to Bois de Vincennes, Paris' largest public park, to get a glimpse of the sun coming down the horizon. Soon as they arrived, they traveled on foot to get to Lac Daumesnil, one of the four lakes in Bois de Vincennes, because according to locals, this was the best place to watch the sunset.

"Here we are," Leo said as they finally arrived at their destination.

After much walking, April found herself at the top of a shallow cliff, under a cemented gazebo with pillars holding up the dome. From the looks of it, the gazebo may have been around for centuries, as it showed some signs of heavy aging, but the garden surrounding it was kept in pristine condition. The place certainly looked as though it was ripped straight from a page in a magazine, and it rendered April speechless.

"Oh, my God. This is beautiful, Leo."

Silence took over for a few minutes as April looked out into the horizon, watching the sunset as darkness slowly enveloped the night sky. As she did this, she began to think about how many remaining sunsets she had left to see, especially with the cancer slowly taking over her life. Moreover, she began to think about Leo, how he only had a few months to experience little things like these, and the thought of this saddened her. _It's not fair. It just isn't fair. I don't deserve this, and neither does Leo. _However, she didn't let this get to her. All that mattered now was that they were together, fighting for their lives as they try to live with what little amount of time they had left in the world.

"Do you know what the locals call this place?" he began, finally breaking the deafening silence.

"No, I don't. Enlighten me."

"The Temple of Love."

"Oh really now?"

"Mhm."

"Huh, well I'm willing to bet that you brought all the girls here when you used to live in Paris, didn't you? Like, how many are we talking here, Leo? Ten? Twenty?" she teased.

He laughed at this before he proceeded to answer.

"More like one or two…just one."

"Seriously? Why do I find that so hard to believe?"

"Well, believe it."

"Wow, well she must've been a very special girl then! Can I get a name at least?"

Instead of satisfying her with an answer, Leo simply looked straight in April's eyes and let out another one of his infamous crooked smiles. He hoped that this gesture was enough for her to take a hint.

"Oh, I see," she answered hastily as she looked down the lake, breaking their eye contact. Her cheeks immediately flushed burning red as this realization finally hit her. She couldn't have possibly been the only girl he had brought in a romantic place such as the Temple of Love before. He's Leo Hendrie, son of politician Bruce Hendrie, who also happened to be one of Boston's hottest bachelors. _What does he think he's doing?_

"You know, a lot of couples choose the Temple of Love to get married in."

Breaking the awkward tension between them, an elderly man who looked to be in his mid-sixties joined Leo and April under the gazebo. Standing beside him was also an elderly woman, presumably his wife, who clung to his arm for support. April has never been happier with their impeccable timing.

"So, you and your wife…you both got married here?" Leo asked, turning around to meet the couple face-to-face.

"Sure did. This is also where we first met."

"Oh, really? How did that happen?" April asked, joining in the conversation.

"I had just moved here from another country, straight after graduating from college. I also just broke it off with my boyfriend at the time, so I came here, everyday, to clear my head. Then one day, he just came up to me and helped me ease into my transition here, all while healing my broken heart in the process."

"Chance meeting, that is so sweet," April said as she shot a look in Leo's direction. She did it quickly enough that he hardly had any time to notice.

"Yeah, and since then, we've been renewing our vows here, every year. This year will be our 40th wedding anniversary," the man added.

"Congratulations," Leo and April replied in unison.

"So, how about you two? You're such a gorgeous, young and healthy couple…will there be wedding bells in the near future?"

_So much for being healthy_, April thought to herself as she tried to answer the man's question.

"Oh no, we're not…um, I just broke up with my boyfriend too, actually."

"My apologies, we just thought you were…"

"No, we uh…we're just here for vacation, and it's April's first time in Paris, so I'm showing her around. Just like you did with the missus," Leo interrupted, placing his arm around April's shoulder, who allowed it reluctantly.

"Well if I didn't know any better, that's a love story waiting to happen."

* * *

After their short rendezvous at the park and being mistaken for a couple, Leo and April finally went back to the hotel to get some rest. Leo took a quick shower and headed straight to his bedroom, where he knocked out instantly. On the other hand, April lounged around the living room and watched a movie, while waiting for sleep to finally come to her.

She looked out the tall glass windows covering the entire living room walls as the lights danced around the Eiffel Tower. It was so beautiful, so bright, almost like staring at a picture from a book. It was only her first night in Paris, and already, she had fallen in love. The culture, the food, the places…all these things enraptured her with their beauty. She was having such a good time, living life the way it should be, all thanks to Leo.

The end credits started rolling on the TV screen before April finally realized that the movie was done playing. She had no idea what even happened, which proved just how much she was not paying attention to it. All she could remember was that it was about a woman trying to find out what happened to her son, and how, when the police found and returned the boy to her, she knew in her gut that it wasn't him.

_Mom. Brenna. Grandma._

All of a sudden, she thought about her own family, and how they were probably feeling the same way Angelina Jolie's character felt in the movie. She left their house without a single word, just a single letter telling them not to find her, and a part of her feels that she'd betrayed them. They must be going ballistic right now, with every bad situation playing out in their minds over and over again, while she was here, having the time of her life. _No, I'm doing this for myself. I won't feel guilty about this…I won't._

She walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of cold water to take upstairs. As she looked at the time on the microwave, the neon lights indicated that it was now 15 minutes before 1, completely unaware that an hour had passed since the movie finished. She knew that she and Leo have a big day tomorrow, exploring Paris and whatnot, and for someone in her condition, she needed all the sleep she could get.

She turned off all the lights downstairs as she made her way up the second floor of the suite, taking small and quiet steps so as not to wake her acquaintance. Then, as she reached the final step, she looked to her right where Leo's room was located, straight across from hers. He must've just forgotten, or maybe he was too tired to care, but he left the door of his bedroom wide open. April turned right as her feet slid on the wooden floor towards Leo's room.

She stood there outside his room for a good few minutes, watching him as his mind and body drifted to sleep. Just a few weeks ago, he meant nothing to her; he was just another story she wanted to write about, until Lawrence said he was off-limits. Now, she knew why. And, if it weren't for her friend Gerald at the Farmer's Market, she never would've known about the cancer support group, and had the chance to get to know Leo better. Yes, Leo was terminal, but she was amazed at how much life there was in him. One look at him and no one would think that he was sick, and yet, he battles through the reality of having cancer every single day, which was mind blowing to her. He was so strong, so bold, so truthful, so honest, so…free. In her eyes, he had never been so beautiful.

With her free hand, she grabbed on to the doorknob to shut Leo's door. Slowly, she pulled it towards her, as quietly as she could, but even with all her might it managed to creak.

"April, is that you?" Leo asked groggily in the dark abyss.

_Damn it._

"Oh, hey. I was just on my way to my room, but I wanted to close your bedroom door so you won't be disturbed…" she said in her lowest voice possible.

Leo turned his head towards the nightstand and looked at the clock. His eyes squinted to compensate for the brightness radiating off the neon numbers.

"It's one in the morning."

"I know, and I am_ so_ sorry for waking you, I'll let you get back to—"

"No hey, come here. What's wrong?" he said as he got up and sat on the bed, scratching his eyes open.

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm fine, and everything's good, really. Go back to sleep, please."

"April."

"Hm?"

"You're doing it again. Come, sit next to me."

He shuffled around the bed to make space for April to sit. He then patted on the open spot next to him, inviting her in. A little hesitant, she agreed to come in and set the glass of water on the nightstand, sitting next to Leo but left some room between them.

"Something's bothering you. What is it?"

"How in the world could you have possibly known that?"

"Trust me, I've had my fair share of nights when I first found out about Leo Jr."

Sometimes, it scared April to know how well Leo could read her like a book. It's not as though she meant for him to know, but even when she tries to put it in the back burner and deal with them later by herself, he forces her to deal with them head on.

"Okay well…it's uh, it's my family. I just feel like I betrayed them after pulling a stunt like this."

"Something like what? You finally doing something that makes you genuinely happy?"

"I mean, when you say it like that, it doesn't sound so bad, but they don't know where I am, and I'm sure that they're worried sick about me. I feel horrible."

"Would you stop thinking about what others want, just for once? Why do you work so hard making everyone else happy?"

"I do not—"

"Yes you do, April. Have you seen yourself lately? You try to carry everyone else's problems on your back, yet you don't let anyone help you."

She paused for a few minutes before coming up with a rebuttal. Then, almost immediately, the words just started pouring out of her.

"When my father died, it broke my family to pieces. My mother was distraught; Brenna was a mess. I had to be strong for them. My dad's absence ultimately forced me to become the new man of the house, and to look out for everyone else. Everyone looked to me for answers, and there was no time for me to dwell on my own problems."

April was on the verge of tears at this point. In the darkness, Leo didn't say a word and instead let April bring her repressed feelings to the surface. It was about time she finally let out those emotions she'd been harboring inside.

"How do you feel?" Leo asked after a few minutes of pure silence.

"I feel…good. I feel liberated," she answered as she took a sip from her glass of water. "Thanks, Leo."

"Hey now," he said as he clapped his hand over her shoulder. "They're gonna be just fine, April."

She nodded her head to this and slowly got up from the bed. As she looked at the clock, the neon lights lit up the numbers one, three, and two, in that order, letting her now that it was half past one. She'd been bothering Leo long enough and figured that she too needed to get some rest.

"Well I should probably get going; I woke you and kept you up too long. I'm really, really sorry about this again."

"Wh-why don't you sleep here tonight?" he asked, sounding a little unsure.

"What?" The thought of sleeping with another man in the same bed freaked her out a little.

"Well…if you still have a hard time falling asleep, then you can talk to me until you do."

"I don't know…something about this just doesn't seem right."

"Look, you can stay on top of the covers if you want to. Or, I could sleep on that couch down there," he said as he pointed to the backless sofa resting at the foot of the bed.

"Are you sure this isn't just a crazy ploy to get me on your bed?"

"I can assure you that it's not. Unless you want to, then we could totally do that."

She thought about this for a second. Since Dominic, April has never spent a night in another man's house, let alone in their own bed. She already broke the first one with Leo, with her agreeing to come with him to Paris and sharing this luxurious suite. At the same time, she genuinely felt that she could trust him; that he really was a gentleman like he said he was, and that he would never try anything with her, unless she gives him her consent. She ponders on this idea more before finally giving him an answer.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

April climbed on top of the sheets as she joined Leo in bed, taking him up on his offer. At first, it felt a little weird, lying just a few inches away from him, but at the same time, there was something so innocent about it that she just couldn't explain. Maybe it was because they were just two people going through the same thing together. Maybe it was because they were just two people who were looking out for one another. Maybe—and this was the most important—maybe, it was because they were just two people who finally realized that, through it all, they only needed each other.


	4. Sweet Gestures

**Chapter IV: Sweet Gestures**

**AN:** As always, thank you for the never-ending reviews/follows/favorites. I am beyond speechless, and I thank you for all your support. I truly appreciate it. Please enjoy the next installment.

* * *

For most people, waking up in the mornings is often considered a part of their daily routine, one that is collectively despised especially on Mondays, when the joys of the weekend are behind them and reality begin to set right back in. However, having cancer changes one's perception of life, and for April, waking up these days seemed more of a privilege rather than an obligation. To her, it became the universe's own little way of granting her an extra day; an extra 24 hours where she can wake up, make the bed, eat breakfast, go to work, and come home to her family—things that many people, including her, often took for granted. Little by little, she started to accept her fate that any one of these days could possibly be her last, but that didn't take away from the fact that it still hurt just as much, knowing that she'll leave her family behind and that the promises of her future can easily be diminished in a single blink of an eye. It was a feeling that was all too familiar to her now, but she'd never wish that on anyone, not even on her worst enemy.

On a typical Wednesday morning, she would be up by six-thirty, scrambling around in her closet for a decent work attire, and be out of the house before seven with a cup of coffee on hand. She would get on the subway, making her way to the Boston Post where she would then spend most of her time sitting in the cubicle, one that was adjacent to her peculiar friend and co-worker's, Danny Gupta. That was her usual routine; something that she had been doing for so long that she could probably pull it off even with both eyes closed. It was a schedule that she'd grown accustomed to from Monday to Friday, every single week all throughout the year.

There was only one tiny bit of problem now: today wasn't just any typical Wednesday.

As morning arrived, rays of the sun passed straight through the curtains and into Leo's bedroom, allowing just enough light to illuminate the place. Cold, misty air howling through the streets of Paris filled up the room as well, cooling the suite in a comfortable temperature. Finally, the assortment of sounds coming from the outside—chirping of the birds, cars passing by, conversations down the street—all made its way past the hard concrete walls creating a soft mixture of nothing but pure sweet melody. It felt like heaven.

Waking up, April shuffled around the bed, pulling the sheets away from her face and stopping them just above her chest. She took a deep breath as she opened her eyes, the intricate design of the ceiling welcoming her back to her new reality. No, it didn't involve getting ready for work, catching the train on time, let alone chasing after a big headline. Her new reality involved waking up in Paris, staying at what felt like a mansion in a world-famous luxury hotel, and exploring the world with none other than her new roommate/sleeping buddy, Leo Hendrie.

_Oh God._

After recollecting memories from last night's events, April slowly turned her head to the left, expecting to see Leo sleeping somberly next to her. She had to admit—talking to him really did help her fall asleep more quickly, rather than tossing and turning until her mind and body finally pleaded to get some rest. It was some of the best sleep she had in days, weeks even. While sleeping with him didn't require any sort of romantic cuddling like she did with Dominic, she felt at peace lying next to him. It felt like home; she was warm and secure knowing he was there next to her. As she thought more about it, Leo didn't just feel like home—he _was_ home.

As she moved, not a single trace of him could be found on the space next to her. She blinked a few times, hoping her eyes were only fooling her. To her dismay, there was no one, leaving her all alone in the giant mattress by herself. _Maybe he moved to the couch, _she thought. She tilted her head in a 90-degree position to check the récamier, and surprisingly, he wasn't there either.

She jumped out of bed and quickly took the robe sitting next to the nightstand, wrapping it around her to combat against the chilly wind. Now that she was fully awake, she noticed that the room was quiet…maybe a little _too_ quiet. Sure, there were noises coming from the outside, but inside, it was so quiet she could hear the sound of her own breathing. If he wasn't in bed then surely he had to be in another area of the suite, making some slight noises even if they weren't loud enough to wake her. She paused and listened in again—the silence was deafening.

"…Leo?"

She walked her way around the bed and checked if he was in the bathroom. _Nope. _She then made her way outside the bedroom and found herself in the hallway, thinking that maybe he'd decided to move and sleep in her bedroom instead. _No luck. _Running out of ideas, she went downstairs and investigated the rest of the suite, her last claim of where he could possibly be. _Nada._

"Hello…Leo?"

After checking the balcony and every little crevice inside the suite, April came to the conclusion that Leo was nowhere to be found. It was just like him to do something like this, to leave and go wherever he pleases, without telling a soul or a care in the world. She hated him for that. He could be so selfish sometimes. However, if she was being completely honest, she was now the same way too, leaving the country without letting any of her loved ones know—she was, and if not, possibly more selfish, or even worse.

Before the family dilemma took up most of her thoughts once again, she focused herself on the matter at hand. Leo was nowhere in the suite, and if she thought back to yesterday's conversations, she didn't remember him mentioning anything about disappearing the next day. Then, the inevitable happened. Every single worst possible situation came rushing to her, playing out scene-by-scene, in her head. _What if something bad happened to him? What if he had another seizure? What if he took a quiet stroll and collapsed? What if he checked himself into a hospital? What if he…_

Of course, she couldn't get herself to even think that he could've died. That was too extreme of a thought, even for her, but the mind thinks what it wants to, even if its owner doesn't. She had no idea where to look for him, let alone where to start, so before she freaked herself out even more, she went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water.

"This isn't funny anymore, Leo! Seriously, you can come out now…"

Her eyes circled around the room once again, hoping Leo would finally come out from hiding. Everything was completely still, with the only sound coming from the ticking of the clock. Just as she finished drinking from the glass, a soft buzz from the front door startled her.

"Leo?" she whispered silently in the air.

As if she couldn't get to the entrance any faster, April rushed to the living room and into the foyer, opening the front door before even checking through the peekhole. Her heartbeat was through the roof from sheer anxiety, but she was disappointed to find out that it was only one of the hotel staff.

"Ah, good morning, Miss April! I'm sorry, but did I wake you?"

She shook her head and sighed.

"No, I was already awake…can I help you?"

"Why, I have your breakfast here, mademoiselle. May I come in?"

"Y-yes, of course. I'm sorry, please go ahead."

She opened the door wider and let the man in with the cart of food. The strong aroma of the brewed coffee was enough to make her stomach grumble.

"Where would you like me to set up?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Uh, would you like to have breakfast over by the balcony, the kitchen nook, or the dining room?"

"Oh, the uh…I guess the dining room's just fine."

The man nodded his head and quickly got to work. April watched as he set up the table, grabbing expensive cups and saucers and plates and silverwares from the cabinet and unloading a plethora of trays from his food cart. All that food couldn't possibly be for her.

It was a breakfast made for a king. As the man arranged the table, it was only then did April had a chance to see everything he unloaded from the cart. A variety of bread was laid out on the table, ranging from croissants, brioches, pains au chocolat, and tartines, along with an even wider assortment of spreads such as butter, five different types of jams, and Nutella. To the right rested the more traditional and savory choices, which included waffles, thin cuts of ham, sausages, slices of bacon, and scrambled eggs. Over to the far left were cuts of fresh fruit, a box of cereal, yogurt, and milk.

"Wow. That is a _lot_ of food."

The man gave a slight chuckle as he poured orange juice into a champagne flute.

"Mr. Leo said he didn't know what you wanted to eat for breakfast, so he ordered the entire breakfast course."

"He did what?" Her eyes widened in amazement. She didn't know whether to thank him for the gesture or to slap him for being so over-the-top.

As the man's words slowly registered in April's brain, it was then that she realized that the butler had seen Leo this morning, if he did order this entire meal for her. She felt a little relieved at this, and before any minute passed, she asked the man about Leo's whereabouts.

"You um, saw Leo…today?"

"Oui."

"D-did he say where he was going?"

"He said he was going for a morning...run? He was very quick, Miss April. Told me to bring you breakfast and left."

"Oh," she answered, slightly disappointed.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew he left. Please, have a seat."

The man pulled out a chair as he motioned for April to take a seat, which she followed hesitantly. She placed the napkin over her thighs, looking at the selection of treats in front of her, but her mind wandered somewhere else. _Where could he be?_ She grabbed the nearest mug to fix herself a cup of coffee.

"Which would you prefer?"

"What do you have?"

"French roast, hazelnut, and house blend."

"I'll have some of the French roast. Thanks."

Leo's last words to the butler replayed over and over in her head. _Morning run? Since when? Doesn't he get winded just as easily as I do?_ Either he was lying, or he really just didn't want anyone to know where he went. But why was it such a big deal?

"Cream?"

"Oh, um… yes, please."

Her eyes fixated on the mug as she watched the cream slowly swirl in with the coffee, its color going from black to a darker shade of brown. She held her palm up to stop the man from pouring some more.

"That's enough, thank you so much."

"Of course."

Just as she added two sugar cubes to her cup, another buzz came ringing from the door. She immediately got up, her heart now beating twice as fast yet again.

"I'll answer it, mademoiselle. Please, enjoy your breakfast."

She paid no attention to the man's remarks and followed him to the foyer. She had to see who it was for herself, but more importantly, she had to know that it was Leo, and that he was okay. The thought of him being in any harm brought all sorts of physical pain to her, almost as if she couldn't stand to see him get hurt by anything, much less than a fly. She hoped to God that it was him.

"Good morning, Miss April. I have some flower arrangements here for you."

"…I'm sorry, I don't recall asking for any flower arrang—"

"Oh, of course not, Miss April. Mr. Leo specifically told us to deliver these flowers to you, everyday, for the duration of your stay. He was very adamant that we get these to you."

The woman handed April a bouquet of flowers, which had a mixture of roses, carnations, daffodils, and lilies. They gave off a sweet yet strong aroma.

"They were carefully hand-picked by our florist at the garden this morning."

"Oh wow. They're um, they're beautiful, thank you."

For someone who could be so selfish, Leo sure was thoughtful. Sure, these grand gestures of love or kindness or whatever else they may be were enough to melt April's heart to the core, but it still didn't excuse the fact that he left their suite without as much as letting her know where he was going.

Just as she was about to go back inside to eat breakfast, April heard the woman call out for her attention.

"Miss April?"

"Yes?"

"We have four more bouquets out here for you."

Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. _Four more? What was he thinking?_ Stunned, she tilted her head forward and peeked out the door, where surely, there were four other bouquets all waiting to be attended to. The woman really meant it when she said there were more.

"I could put them on some water if you'd like."

"Oh y-yes. I'm so sorry, come on in, please."

With the original bouquet still resting on her arm, April led the woman inside the suite and to the kitchen by the sink. She placed the bouquets on the island as she grabbed a couple of vases from her cart, filling them halfway with water. April watched as the woman slowly placed each bouquet in their proper container.

"Where would you like them?"

April looked around the room until she found the perfect spot.

"Over there would be just fine," she said as she pointed to the vintage-looking credenza sitting across the dining table.

The woman did as she was told and left the room shortly to continue making her rounds of deliveries. The butler, who finished preparing April's breakfast, also left after woman, leaving April all alone in the suite. It wasn't until a few minutes later that she realized that she was still holding on to the last bouquet of flowers, which also needed to be put on water.

She brought the last batch of flowers upstairs, going straight to Leo's room like it was her own, even just after staying there for one night. Now on a vase, she placed them on the nightstand by the bed, smiling at Leo's effort for making her feel right at home. She wasn't aware of it before, but beneath his tough exterior was an incredibly caring and thoughtful guy, a side that rarely anyone got to see. If anything, it made April admire him even more.

"Funny, I thought this room was mine."

Just then, April's entire body froze. She didn't have to turn around to know who that voice belonged to.

"Oh my God, Leo!"

Without giving it any time to think, April ran across the bedroom and met Leo by the door. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, resting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart pound loudly on her ears, each beat synchronizing with hers. She'd never felt so relieved to see him there, in the flesh, alive and healthy. Well, as healthy as someone with a brain tumor could possibly look.

"Whoa, am I sensing some type of sentiment here? Did you…miss me?"

"This isn't funny. Why did you leave without telling me?"

"Sorry mom, I didn't know I had a chaperone with me."

"It's called being courteous, Leo. Did they not teach you that in etiquette school?"

"I wouldn't know, I never went to one. Sorry."

"…And that explains _so_ much," she teased, now looking up at him. His blue eyes quickly met hers, and for a moment, they held onto each other's gaze for what felt like forever. Leo could sense the look of distress and worry in April's eyes, and it made him feel a little guilty inside.

"Hey April?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you planning on releasing me anytime soon?"

"What?"

"You…uh, you still have your-"

His eyes pointed down towards her arms which were still enclosed around him, her body pressed against his. It took her a minute to realize that they were in a somewhat compromising situation, one that she didn't take notice of until now.

"Oh! No, no I uh, I didn't mean to-"

She immediately dropped her arms and moved a step away from him. It was enough to make her cheeks blush.

"It's fine, I mean, you can keep hugging me if you want. I know you missed me."

"What? No. I was just-"

"Don't worry April. I missed you too."

* * *

Joining April for breakfast, Leo poured himself a cup of coffee and sat right across from her.

"So you're really not going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About where you went this morning?"

"Are we really still talking about that?"

He watched as she doused a generous helping of syrup all over the waffle, cutting it into small strips and then into tiny squares. She cut them with such precision too, trailing the lines with her knife and leaving each corner of the bite-sized pieces with a smooth surface. He found this slightly amusing.

"Okay, obviously you have no plan of sharing that information with me, so let's move on-"

"April."

"Hm?"

"When you wake up tomorrow, I promise, the first thing you see when you open your eyes will be me next to you."

Silence took over for a good few minutes. April didn't know what to say to him, because if she was really being honest with herself, she could care less about where he went. The truth couldn't be much farther than that. No, she was worried for him. She was worried that, if anything happened to him, she wouldn't be there to protect him, the same way that he was protecting her. Leo was right, they looked out for one another. Since leaving for Paris, or even way before that, they were there for each other. He helped her ease into her new life of having cancer, while she made him think about things that were worth fighting for. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she cared for Leo just as much as he did for her.

"Are you, uh.. are you not gonna eat?" she cleared her throat, hoping to change the subject.

"Nah, I'm not hungry."

"What? But you ordered so much!"

"I didn't know what you wanted to have!"

"But I can't finish all of this!"

He took a piece of bacon and stuffed it into his mouth. "There, happy?"

"Oh no, you need to eat _way_ more than that," she chuckled.

He grabbed a few more slices of bacon before he spotted the row of vases assembled on the wooden credenza.

"Guess you found a home for them, huh?"

April followed his gaze as her eyes rested on the colorful petals.

"Oh, and about that.."

"What about it? I thought you would like them."

"No, I do. It's just that-"

"Did you want some more? I could call and ask-"

"No, that's fine-"

"I thought they could liven up the place a bit-"

"Yes, but-"

"How many more do you want? Two, three?"

"No, I uh-"

"Four?"

"You're not listening to me, I-"

"Five, six?"

"Leo!"

"What?"

She took a deep sigh before continuing.

"…Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"This! I mean, why—first the hotel, then this breakfast, now the flowers? Why are you doing all of this?"

He stopped himself from eating another piece of bacon and dropped it on his plate. He wiped his mouth and hands with the napkin resting on the table, completely unaware that April was being serious. His eyes now moved to hers, studying every expression on her face, and he couldn't believe how clueless she was. If anything, Leo Hendrie was anything but subtle. Sure, they were some nice, sweet gestures, but could she really be that blind? Did she really not know? She'll figure it out soon enough.

"You really want to know? Because you deserve it, April. That's why. And I'd be damned if I don't give you _all_ that you deserve."


	5. Connection

**Chapter V: Connection**

**AN:** I will never get tired of saying this, but thank you (x infinity) for all the reviews/follows/favorites. I'm sorry for taking a while, but I really hope you all enjoy this chapter.

* * *

"So, where do you wanna go first?"

The elevator doors swung wide open as Leo motioned for April to go inside, with him following right behind. He pressed the button marked 'L' as he watched the door slowly close after him, leaving them alone together inside the golden square entrapment.

"I don't know…you're the expert, you tell me."

"You don't really want me to make that decision for you now, do you? Come on, what is your gut telling you?"

Her mind wandered into endless possibilities. There were so many places to go to, and yet she couldn't pick which one to see first. Most people would say the Eiffel Tower, but for some reason a voice in her head kept chanting one word over and over.

"How about the Louvre?"

"Really? Never pegged you for an artsy type kind of girl."

"What? I can appreciate a good work of art when I see one."

"Well, so do I."

Leo's lips pursed together as the corners of his mouth arched in what could only be a crooked smile. He gave April a knowing look, causing her cheeks to immediately turn red, as she shook her head and focused her attention somewhere else.

"Was that really necessary?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, now looking at April all innocently.

"I hate you."

The elevator made a ringing sound as the doors opened, revealing a tall brunette woman who could be easily mistaken for a runway model. Her natural tanned skin glowed perfectly against her summer wardrobe, a white cropped top and pencil skirt which hugged her curves in all the right places, finished off with sky-high crystal encrusted Louboutin peep-toe heels. On her arm rested an all-black classic Birkin bag, to which she opened as she retrieved her phone. Her heels clicked as she moved into place.

"Lobby?" Leo asked, looking mesmerized as the woman looked up and smiled at him. Her teeth glistened like pearls, looking nothing short of perfection.

"Oui," she replied. "You...American?"

"Uh…um, y-yes. Yes, we are." He held his hand out to shake hers. "I'm Leo, by the way."

"Enchantée, I'm Geneviève," she replied, stressing out the pronunciation with her thick French accent as she met Leo's hand halfway. Her fingers were soft as butter, sending a tingling sensation down his spine.

His eyes moved up and down as he examined the woman more carefully, looking for any sort of flaw in her goddess-like appearance. There weren't any. The woman noticed the movement of his eyes as well, but seemed to actually be enjoying the shower of attention Leo was giving her. She sized him up too, never taking her eyes off of him, and just from the shade of his eyes, he was already a winner in her book.

"Hi, I'm April."

Breaking the awkward tension that filled the elevator, April held out her hand to the woman as she snuck a quick stern look at Leo. He looked like a lovesick puppy that had fallen under the woman's magic spell.

"Oh...I'm sorry, this is April."

"Enchantée."

While the woman returned the gesture by shaking April's hand, she seemed to have no interest in anyone else but her companion. She took a quick glance at April, eyeing her up and down, and realized that while she was easy on the eyes, she was no competition for her. She was used to getting everything her way, and if she really wanted to have Leo right then and there, she knew she could have him.

"So are you two…?"

"Me and him?" April asked, pointing her thumb at herself, and then at Leo. "You mean like, together?"

" Oui," she nodded. "You're here in Paris, after all. The most romantic city in the wo-"

"No. No, we are not," Leo replied quickly, which seemed to bother April a little bit. He'd never responded to a question so fast and so certain as he just did. Sure, he was a straight-shooter, but he could've been more delicate with his words rather than just flat-out saying 'no'.

_Ding!_

The elevator doors opened once again, now showing the heavy foot traffic happening in the lobby. Leo gestured his hand to let the woman go out before he followed.

"Ladies first."

Geneviève chuckled as she exited the elevator, with April following from behind, and then Leo. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face as she brought her handbag to her shoulder, locking them under her arm. She faced Leo one last time.

"Maybe I'll see you around, Leo. Au revoir."

"Au revoir."

Leo's eyes followed the woman as she walked away from him, blending in with the crowd just after a few strides. He watched as she pulled the sunglasses out of her handbag, greeting every hotel staff she came across, almost as if she knew them all individually. Then, she made her way to the entrance, turning heads from everyone who came in close proximity, before she got in what seemed to be an expensive piece of automobile and drove off.

"Well she seemed nice, huh?" Leo asked as he turned and looked at April, who was standing by his side. Together, they made their way towards the front desk.

"Could you be any more obvious?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Really? You're going to stand there and pretend to have no clue what I'm saying?"

"Well I don't, so why don't you enlighten me with some of your wisdom?"

"Someone dangles a beautiful and sophisticated woman in front of you and you turn into silly putty!"

"Not at all."

"You were practically undressing her with your eyes!"

"That's ridiculous. I would need to use my hands."

"Unbelievable…" her voice trailed off as she shook her head in disbelief. She walked a little faster now, leaving Leo slightly behind, but before she got any farther she felt his hand reach out for hers.

"What just happened?"

"Nothing, let's go," she said as she released her hand away from his.

"Wait a second...April, you're…are you jealous?"

"What? No. I'm not jealous."

Of course she was. She hated the way Leo looked at that woman with such lust, how he never took his eyes off of her during their entire time together, like she was this most precious thing that ever hit the universe. He looked as if he just saw the most exquisite thing in his life, as if someone had finally listened to his silent prayers and granted them in the form of Geneviève. He wanted her. In his eyes, April knew that he wanted to have her. As a matter of fact, she hated the woman too. The way she batted those long eyelashes at Leo and how he fell victim to it every single time, it was sickening. She knew exactly how to play him, and he was more than willing to participate. God, she hated the both of them.

"Aw, you look so adorable when you're jealous."

"Shut up."

April was not the type of girl to get jealous. No, she's always been sure of herself and what she's capable of, so jealousy was never a problem. Granted, there was that one time when she and Dominic were just starting out, but that happened in a totally different circumstance. They were actually _dating_. Even though she and Leo were just friends, or better yet—cancer buds, she didn't know why she was feeling the way she did all of a sudden. It felt as though something was eating away at her, this unsettling feeling deep at the pit of her stomach, that's causing her to act the way she was acting. The green-eyed monster had never felt so alive.

"A-and then when she asked if you and I were together…you didn't even waste a second to let her know that we aren't dating! God, it was like, you couldn't wait to tell her that you're a free man and that the only reason why you're here with me in Paris is because you're fulfilling some sick girl's dying wish."

"Whoa, now hold on just a second. Where is this coming from?"

"But it's true, isn't it? What are we doing here, halfway around the world, Leo? Better yet, what are _you_ doing here? You've probably been to Paris more times than I could count with my own fingers!"

"We are living, April. For once in your life, we—_you're_ actually living. You're doing things in your life you never thought of doing before. And look, when I got on that plane with you, I could've easily left and asked for a different destination. I could've let you gone to Paris by yourself, so is it really so hard to figure out why I didn't? I'm here because I want to be with you!"

A few moments later, they finally arrived at the front desk. The same woman who booked Leo the suite the day before approached them, with a smile swept across her face.

"Why hello Mr. Leo! Miss April! How are we doing this lovely morning?"

"Doing great, Rosita. Thank you for everything. And please, just call me Leo. We're practically family."

"I know, I know. Oh, but you grew up so much! It wasn't long ago when you were just-"

"L-let's spare April the details of my childhood here, shall we? I was wondering if you could help me out with something."

"Of course, anything for you. What can I do?"

The lady smiled at Leo as April weaved her brows in confusion. It seemed that she and Leo knew each other from way back, and for some reason she was a little curious to hear about any childhood stories she might have stored in her repertoire.

"You see, I'm taking April here to see the Louvre, and we need-"

"Don't even worry about it. Just give me a few minutes to work my magic."

"And that's why you're the best, Rosita."

April smiled at the pregnant receptionist out of politeness as she watched her stroke a few keys in front of the computer. She seemed like a nice sweet lady who shared an unbreakable bond with Leo given how highly they talk and interact with one another. That made it even more difficult for her to hate him given after what transpired just a few moments before.

"How did you like the flower arrangements sent to you this morning, my dear?"

"Oh…they were um, they were lovely. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, that was all Leo's idea. He had everything planned out before even checking in. I could tell he really cares about you. He has a heart of gold."

"Oh come on, Rosita…" Leo said as his cheeks turned a slight tint of red.

"But it's true, is it not?"

"Everything planned out? You mean there are more than the flowers?"

"Of course, dear! The flowers are just one of the many. Now, I know Leo said he wanted it to be a surprise, but I am absolutely sure that you will love them."

She handed Leo a small piece of card as she finished up their transaction.

"Okay, so Gaston—you remember Gaston, right Leo?—will take you wherever you want to go, and if you need anything else, well, you know how to contact me. I hope you enjoy the Louvre, Miss April. Au revoir."

"Merci, Rosita." He went behind the counter and hugged her tightly. She then waved goodbye to the two of them as April and Leo headed outside of the hotel and waited for their ride to pick them up.

"Sounds like you two go way back," April began.

"Oh yeah, Rosita and I…we have history together."

"Well she seems like a wonderful lady."

"She is."

Silence caught up with them for a few minutes. They stood there at the corner, with Leo looking out to the street and April looking down on her feet, unable to meet his eyes. She wasn't sure if he was angry at her, but then again, he wouldn't have any reason to if she didn't start with her lousy accusations. She tried to find the right words to say to him, but as always, he beat her to the punch.

"Look April, I don't know what happened back there, but I don't want to start off our first day here with this looming over the horizon, so let me be the first to say: I'm sorry."

He turned to his right as he saw her looking down on the ground, not wanting to meet his eyes. He knew that she felt uncomfortable around him, probably even ashamed, and so to break that barrier, he took her hand and intertwined it with his. Surprised, April looked up at him, and then moved her gaze to her hands that were now interlocked with his fingers.

"What are you doing?"

"When we go back to Boston, and you go and do your chemotherapy, I don't want you remembering the sad and bitter days we spent here. I want you to look back and remember the good memories we made, because when you're lying there in your hospital bed, watching as the days and nights pass by, this might just be the thing that will motivate you to keep you fighting. The chance that one day, when you beat this cancer, you will find yourself back here, or in a different place, living the life and future you've always wanted to have. And there's nothing more in the world that I would want than for you to have that."

Leo's speech was enough to blow her away. She suddenly felt this lump at the back of her throat, because every word that escaped his lips couldn't be any truer, and she wanted that too. Thinking back to her own question earlier, they weren't just in Paris to have an adventure. No, there was something more to that. They left the comfort of their hometown in Boston not just to escape the confinements of their own mundane lives, but to find the answer as to why they should keep fighting. Living day-to-day wasn't just enough; sure, they've been stripped off of that reality once they found out their days were numbered thanks to the cancer, but the chance to have moments like these—days when they are _truly_ living, well that was something worth fighting for.

She kept her gaze fixed on their linked hands, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers. Of course he was right, as he always was—moments like these are worth fighting for. To feel the love of a friend, a mother, a sister, a relative, a stranger…it's worth more than any amount of pain and suffering she's got to endure. Because this is what everyone craves for: a simple human connection. There's a famous saying that people often quote, saying life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away, and for April, this is definitely one of those. It wasn't as glamorous as how it's normally portrayed in a giant screen, but in that moment, she connected with someone. She felt that she wasn't as alone in this as she felt once before, that someone was there who understood her and gave her the gift of connection that she so desperately craved.

And that was more than enough.


	6. Love, Lock, Bridge

**Chapter VI: Love, Lock, Bridge**

**AN:** First off, many thanks for all the wonderful reviews/follows/favorites! I get excited whenever I hear a feedback from all of you, and so please know that I take all of your reviews seriously. Secondly, (I usually don't like to make my ANs long, but make exceptions when we reach milestones) we are roughly about 1/3 of the way into this story. Yes, I do have a general idea where I want this story to go, it's been the same since I wrote the first chapter, and all that's left to do is to actually write it out, which as you can see, definitely takes some time. I'll try to update more frequently, but I can't really make a promise on that, so for now, I will try. And finally, this story follows the CL universe up until 1x06, so other factors that showed up in later episodes (i.e. Leo's surgery) may or may not be incorporated into the story. Other than that, thank you for all your support and I hope you enjoy this installment!

* * *

If art is beautiful, then he was looking at the most exquisite piece.

Though he doesn't consider himself much of an art enthusiast, Leo had been to the Louvre a few times in the past. Sure, he could appreciate the marvelous works of art displayed along the walls of the world-renowned museum, but in that moment in time, no one was more beautiful than the woman standing by his side. She was a rare element, something that only came along once in a lifetime; a diamond in the rough. In his eyes she was stunning, dazzling, and astonishing. No one will convince him otherwise.

The woman in the elevator may have been striking, but April was incomparable. She was in a league of her own. Even when she's all dressed up or dressed down—like the way she looked sleeping next to him last night, a face seared forever in his memory—she was just as beautiful and timeless. He couldn't believe that she would even think that he was interested in someone else—were his efforts not that noticeable, were they not enough? Yes, Jenny or Genie or Vivian or whatever her name was may very well be every man's dream girl, but he would trade hundreds even thousands of them if it meant he could live long enough to be with the girl situated next to him. After all, time was a luxury he no longer had.

As they finished roaming the spectacle that was the Louvre, April asked Leo if they could take a quick stroll around the area before meeting up with Gaston. Naturally he agreed, and as they walked, Leo couldn't help but notice at how quiet April was during the entire time.

"How'd you like the Louvre?"

"Oh, it was um, yeah it was great. What'd you think?"

"Oh yeah. I mean there's nothing better than looking at naked people made out of stones, right?"

"Huh? Oh, mhm. Yeah, they were great."

A little surprised at her remarks, Leo stopped dead in his tracks as he took a good look at his companion.

"Okay, tell me. What's wrong?"

"What? Nothing. Why would you think that?"

He looked at April with mild disbelief.

"…Maybe because you just agreed to something I said that was completely bogus?"

"Did I?"

"Clearly you've been paying great attention," he said with a sarcastic hint in his voice.

April thought back to what Leo said just moments before. Zip. Nothing came to mind. All that occupied her thoughts now were the incredible antics she pulled earlier that day, and how she felt this overwhelming rush of guilt and shame immediately after. If anything, Leo was probably over it, considering the genuine gesture of affection he displayed as he held her hand on that sidewalk, but still, she felt bad. Yes, she felt this undeniable connection to him—probably more so than she ever did before—and all she wanted to do now was to give him a proper apology and to feel his hands intertwined with hers once again.

They continued to walk down the courtyard in silence.

"Hey Leo…"

"Well would you look at that, we're talking again," he joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Look, I just want to apologize for what happened earlier, back at the hotel. Like you said, I don't want this looming over our heads either…because you're right. I really do need this trip. I need it to be memorable."

"Oh come on, you don't need to apo-"

She held her hand up to stop him from speaking.

"No, I do. I was way out of line. I just..I don't know what got into me. You didn't deserve any of that, especially after _everything_ you've done. I was a jerk and for that, I'm really sorry."

His entire body shifted towards her as he removed the black wayfarers covering his eyes. April faced him too, tucking strands of hair behind her ear as she waited for his response.

"So we're good then?"

"Yes, we're more than good," she replied, nodding her head.

"Well alrighty then."

He broke off their quick eye contact as he started to walk once again, leaving April watching him from behind.

"Oh, and one more thing, Leo."

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad that you're here with me too."

* * *

"So you and Rosita…care to elaborate more on that?"

As they continued walking, soaking in the warmness of the sun, April thought it would be fun to dig a little into Leo's past. While she knew a few things about the Hendries—through work and whatnot—she wanted to know things about them that the media doesn't get to cover.

"Ah, Rosita. Yeah, I know what you're getting at. No, we never dated, and no, the baby's not mine."

She rolled her eyes as she gave him a soft slap in the arm.

"You know what I mean."

"Well what do you want to know?"

"I don't know…anything, really. She said that you've grown so much, so I'm guessing you've known her since you were little. How did that happen?"

"Are you sure you really want to hear it? I mean, why waste time hearing me talk about my life? I'm just another spoiled rich brat..pretty sure you can find my life story printed in a small bookshop somewhere."

"Come on, we both know that's not true. And for you Leo, I have all the time in the world. So let's hear it."

"Aw, well aren't you sweet."

Leo took a deep breath before he began.

"When I was a kid, Bruce's idea of an awesome father-son bonding time was to take his beloved son halfway around the world and lock him up in a hotel suite, while he congregated with his network of powerful wannabes. He would always take me to the same hotel, book the same suite, and leave me there by myself as he would meet with these people who, clearly, have their heads up their narcissistic asses. I was alone most of the time, waiting for him until he came back from his meetings. That's how I spent most of my time. Every year, he would promise that things would change, that we would spend more time together, but just like any other politician, of course it was nothing but a bunch of false promises."

"That's horrible," April replied, feeling sympathetic.

"Don't feel too bad. He might not win the Father of the Year award, but the man did give me everything money could buy. Hence the whole 'spoiled-rich-kid' persona."

"But materialistic gratifications are not the same as-"

"Eh, I'm used to it. But anyway, that's how I got to know Rosita. I befriended the hotel staff while he played the pissing contest with his colleagues."

April didn't know what to say. She felt bad for Leo, for growing up in such an environment, even with the insurmountable amount of assets his family owned. Sure, her family may not be as wealthy as the Hendries, but one thing April could proudly say was that her father was nothing like Leo's dad.

"Oh, and here's a kicker: when I was twelve, five days before Christmas, he told my mom that he had an important meeting that he couldn't cancel. So we flew to Paris, and what really happened was that he went here to see his mistress."

"What? Oh my God."

"Yeah, he thought I was dumb enough to not figure it out. But I'm neither blind nor stupid," he added.

"But why would Bruce take you with him in the first place?"

"Let's just say my mother had her ways…she wanted us to spend more time together. And voilà."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. For someone to go through such a traumatic childhood, Leo sure didn't look like he was affected much by it. But truth is, he was. She could see it in his actions. Like the way he spoke about his father. Or how he never took any conversation seriously, as if he's avoiding so hard to talk about matters of the heart. And, how, every time he met someone new, he always wondered about their true intentions. It pained April to see him that way, how this small event during his childhood shaped the way he saw the world, and for some reason, every single nerve in her body just wanted to spring at him and provide any means of comfort.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Leo."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

She nodded to this as they kept their pace. They walked silently, side-by-side, as strong gusts of wind propelled right through them. Call it perfect timing, but as Leo looked to his side, he caught April's hair blow through the breeze, and he swore that for a split second, he felt what he could only describe was a natural stirring from within.

"Wait a minute...is this what I think it is?"

He was finally brought back to reality as he heard sounds of excitement coming from April's lips. He looked around the area, registering every frame in memory, and it wasn't long until he figured out exactly where they were.

"Oh wow, look at this! This is amazing!"

April's heels clicked on the wooden pavement as she extended her right arm, her hand rifling through every piece of cold metallic lock that it touched. After a few more strides, she stopped midway and set her hands on what seemed to be a rusty heart-shaped padlock.

"Matthew & Grace. 051312," April said as she read the surface of the lock. "Whoa, this is kinda recent!"

Leo casually walked past the other bystanders as he finally caught up to April. Just like every other place in Paris, he's certainly been to this one before, but still, the way he saw April's eyes light up brought a grin upon his face.

"Welcome to Pont des Arts," Leo said as he stretched his arms out.

For locals, the famous Parisian bridge was known as Pont des Arts, or Passerelle des Arts. However, for the rest of the world, this was better known as the love bridge. Tens and thousands of locks covered every surface of the railings and the grates, each engraved with two of the lover's names committed in a relationship. Some locks also had dates carved out on them, publishing the moment when they participated in the romantic gesture.

"Wow, look at every single one of these, Leo. It does make you wonder, are they still together after all this time?"

"I bet with all my money that half of these people probably wish they could go down the river right now and find the key."

"You're so mean!" she exclaimed as she let out a small giggle. He was probably right for the most part, though.

"What? Tell me you don't agree with me."

"Either way," she said as she snapped a quick photo with her phone, "it's still romantic. I've always wanted to do one of these, but now.."

He saw the way how, in less than a split of a second, April's face which was full of smiles and joy, immediately turned sad and disappointed. It was obvious, she still thought about Dominic, the guy who decided to leave her once he found out about the cancer. Of course this was normal, considering they just broke up recently, but it still baffled him how someone as smart and as thoughtful as Dominic would let a good girl go just because she decided to keep her condition secret from him. But then again, it wasn't any of his business.

"Let's do it," he offered, hoping to cheer April up.

"Uh, what?"

"The lock thing. Come on, let's find an open spot."

"Ha, no thanks."

"Why not? I thought you said you've always wanted to do this."

"Yeah, I do. But we're not…" she couldn't bring herself to say the next word.

"We're not what? _Dating?_"

Oh God. Now it sounded even sillier to hear out loud. Well yes, the main reason why people flock to Pont des Arts and throw keys over the bridge was to cement their relationship. Not over a _family_ relationship or even a _friendly_ relationship, but over a _romantic_ relationship. It's true, she and Leo weren't dating, but then again, what kind of relationship did they have? From the looks of it, it had gone way past the friendship line, and yet, hasn't crossed the borders of what could be defined as a romantic one. Leo was more than a friend, he meant more to her now, and while being more than friends has crossed her mind a few times, the thought of actually being with Leo also scared her. For one, he was a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any minute.

"Look, April. There are no rules that say we can't make one just because we're not dating. The only rules that do exist are the ones that you create in your head. So what's it going to be?"

How could a simple act of putting a lock on a bridge and throwing a key over it be so complicated? The act itself wasn't so hard to comprehend, so what was it that was stopping her? Was it the meaning behind the act? Was it the purpose, or the intention of it? Of course it was. It always led back to that. If someone were to tell her to grab a lock, place it on a railing and throw the keys afterward, April would have no problem doing that. Easy peasy. But this—this was different. This had a whole other meaning to it.

"Alright, fine. Let's do it," she finally agreed.

"Attagirl."

"You know what? You have a knack for always making me do things that I normally wouldn't do."

"Like what? Breaking the law? I told you, the only rules that exist-"

"-are the ones you create in your head," she finished, her eyes playfully looking up at him.

"You can't tell me you're not having fun, though. Admit it. You like being around me, don't you?"

_Yes, yes, and yes._ She liked—no, loved—being in Leo's company, more than she would like to admit. She loved the way he made her feel, this liberating feeling that she's never felt before, almost as if she was a bird who'd finally gotten her wings and was ready to fly. She loved the way he challenged her, how he would make her question everything that she once knew, and yet, he would let her make her own decisions without influencing them. But most of all, she loved how thoughtful and endearing he was, not just to her, but to others too. She could see it in the way he treated Rosita, how grateful he was to have her in his life and his in hers. If someone had told her that Leo was capable of all these things after the first time they met, she would probably think they were insane. The Leo Hendrie she met then wasn't capable of that. But she could see it now. His actions speak louder than his words ever will. And she loved him for that.

Instead of gratifying him with an answer, she took a few steps forward as she looked for an open slot.

"This looks good," she said as she gestured for him to come closer.

"Great, let's do this."

"Uh, there's only one problem now."

"What now?"

"We have no lock…and key."

Leo's head moved left to right as he thought of a solution. With such a popular cultural following, he thought that there would at least be some vendors around willing to make some quick cash by selling padlocks, but to his surprise, not a single soul was selling. He moved his gaze back towards April as he found the answer to his problem. It was there all along.

"What's that," he said dryly as his eyes pointed towards her purse.

"Huh?"

Confused, April followed his eyes as she spotted a gold lock latched on to her purse.

"Oh no, no, no. My purse is off-limits."

"Well unless you can make a padlock magically appear in the next five seconds, you're going to have to depart with your dearly beloved."

Before the next few seconds even arrived, April got herself into a staring contest with Leo. Although it was just a purse, it was her favorite bag—which was exactly the reason why she brought it with her to Paris—and no one, not even Leo, could force her to deface such a valuable thing.

"You really want to play this game? You're no match for me, April Carver."

He kept his eyes fixated on April's as he let out a huge grin. He was definitely going to win this. She was no match for him, and he even felt sorry for her for thinking she had a chance. Then, as they continued with their silly little game, he noticed April's eyes change from a stern look into one filled with pity. Not even the puppy dog eyes were enough to break his competitiveness.

As a minute passed, to no avail, April finally gave in.

"Fine, you win."

To separate the lock from the purse, April rummaged inside her bag to look for the matching key. She knew it was stored there somewhere; she never removed it since she bought the purse, a present she gave to herself after landing the job at The Boston Post. As she felt around a few more times, she finally found the key and pulled it out.

"Here," she handed Leo the lock as she finished unlocking it.

"Okay, good. Now all we need is a-"

"There," she said, handing Leo a permanent marker as she interrupted him mid-sentence.

"Wow. Do you come with a house too? You just have everything, don't you?"

"A good reporter never goes without her tools of the trade."

Leo let out a soft chuckle as he penned April's name on the golden lock. While the surface was small to write on, he was able to write her name on it with no problem. April's brows now weaved into confusion.

"Wait, why did you write my name?"

"So you could write mine's," he said, handing her the marker and the metallic lock. "I just want to make sure you know how to spell my name. Extra points if you could also spell my last name."

She scoffed at him as she penned his name directly underneath hers. Then, instead of adding an ampersand in between, she drew a heart and colored in the filling.

"Whoa. April…_loves_ Leo? Never knew you felt that way about me."

"Oh, shut up." She finished coloring in the rest of heart as she marked the date on the opposite side. "We're friends after all. I think the heart is appropriate."

"Oh, so we're friends now? Sorry, I must not have received the memo."

"Is everything always a joke to you?"

She gave him back the lock as she watched him place it around the open grate. Now there was really no way around it, and the meaning of the signed lock said it all: she and Leo were forever intertwined.

"Okay, your turn. Drop that key into the river."

As Leo watched her next move, April looked out into the Seine just before letting go of the key. She placed the key between her hands, bringing it up to her face, as she then closed her eyes and stood in silence. From the looks of it, it seemed that she was making one last wish, just like what people would usually do before they drop a penny into a wishing well. He wondered what it was that she had wished for.

Opening her eyes, April looked out into the river once again, feeling the cool wind brush past her skin. In one swift move, she threw the key over the bridge, her eyes following the trail up until the key disappeared into the water. She then turned around as she saw Leo standing there, looking at little confused.

"You do know this isn't a wishing well, right?"

"I know," she shrugged. "But like you said, there are no rules. So I'm treating it like one."

They started walking back towards the museum. All of a sudden, Leo felt April take his left arm and wrapped it around hers, resting her head on his bicep. He didn't seem to mind her sudden and unexpected public display of affection.

"You learn quickly, young grasshopper. So, what'd you wish for?"

"You don't really think I'm going to tell you that, right? It is a wish after all."

"Alright, fine. Well, whatever it is, I hope it comes true for your sake."

She smiled at him before she gave him an answer.

"I have a feeling that it will."

"Well okay then. I don't know about you, but it's time for lunch. I'm starving."

"Me too. And no protesting, but, it's my treat."

"No need to be a saint, I got it."

"What did I just say? No protesting!"

"Wait, seriously?"

She now looked up at him, her arms still intertwined with his.

"I'm serious, Leo. Let me do this."

"Okay, I won't protest. But be careful April, because a few more of these and I might just think that you're starting to fall for me."

Only half the day has passed and yet the morning has already proven itself to be a roller coaster of emotions. First with the sudden strike of panic after Leo went 'missing', to great admiration as his thoughtfulness shone through with the breakfast and flowers, to jealousy during that disturbing elevator ride, to guilt and shame, and now to joy and happiness. Leo was right, she definitely needed this trip, and it felt even better knowing that he was there with her. Everything seemed to be going well, and for now, April was just going to let the chips fall where they may.

And fall they will.


End file.
